No. 4 UCLA Rolls To 97–61 Win At Penn State
Lauren Betts & Bruins Roll In Pennsylvania
One of the nation’s best in No. 4 UCLA rolled on to their 13th win today at Penn State, 97-61. That also gave the Bruins their third win in Big Ten Conference play.
UCLA jumped out to a hot first quarter, outscoring the Nittany Lions 29-12. The roll never stopped, as Lauren Betts was on point, scoring 25 points in 24 minutes and adding seven rebounds. She also went over 1,500 career points in the win.
Betts is one of the toughest players in the country to handle, averaging 16.2 points per game in 366 minutes played this season. Her 6-foot-7 frame allows her to work the paint, and she can step out and face up as well.
Gianna Kneepkens scored 17 today, hitting five three pointers in seven attempts. The five threes mark a season high for Kneepkens. She has been highly efficient from deep this season at 46 percent, while also shooting 52 percent from the field.
The Bruins have a total of five players averaging double figures this season: Lauren Betts (16.2), Kiki Rice (15.4), Gianna Kneepkens (14.3), Gabriela Jaquez (14.2), and Angela Dugalić (10.6).
Charlisse Leger-Walker is just under double digits at 8.5 points per game, but her facilitation is what stands out. She has 92 assists on the season, averaging just under seven per game, which places her in the top 15 nationally.
UCLA holds a NET ranking of No. 4 and a strength of schedule of 14. Saturday will feature a matchup worth the price of admission when the Bruins take on USC. Expect a physical matchup, and keep an eye on USC’s ability to score from beyond the arc, and operating in space without the ball.
Against Nebraska, the Trojans moved well, and did not allow the Huskers to win many battles. Saturday should be fun.
Stay tuned to Mays Sports Media for continued coverage of women’s basketball.
Featured Image Credit: UCLA Athletics
